Top 10 Yale University Notable Alumni of All Time

Yale University Notable Alumni| Raising Achievers Since 1701

Founded in 1701, Yale University is one of the oldest universities in the United States and rivals universities such as Harvard University and Princeton University. Yale University consists of 14 constituent schools and offers up to 2,000 undergraduate courses. Yale University’s prestigious status is not only credited to its rich cultural history but also to the notable people who graduated from Yale. In this article, we’ll take a look at some of those Yale University notable alumni who’ve made significant contributions to society. So let’s get started without further ado.

Liev Schreiber

  Liev Schreiber is a notable American actor and producer who graduated from Yale University in 1992 with a Masters in Fine Arts. Until now, he’s worked in several movies and TV series, but he’s best known for his roles in X-Men movies and the Ray Donovan drama series. 

At Yale, Liev Schreiber initially wanted to focus on being a playwright, but circumstances led him to become a performer. As per the Yale University alumni directory, Liev Schreiber is one of the advisors at the Yale School of Drama and continues to support his alma mater. 

Rakesh Mohan

Rakesh Mohan is a famous Yale University Indian notable alumni who has taught at Yale. He graduated from Yale with a Ph.D. in Economics from Yale University in 1976.

  Before teaching at Yale as a professor in practice, Rakesh Mohan served as the deputy governor of the Reserve Bank of India from 2002 to 2009. As of now, he’s a senior fellow at the Yale Jackson School of Global Affairs and an executive director and chief mentor at Brookings India. 

Grace Hopper

He is an American computer scientist, a mathematician, and the first woman to become a Navy Admiral. She was also one of the few women to have worked on UNIVAC I and is credited for coining the term “debugging”. 

  He studied mathematics under the famous Alonzo Church and later, after her Ph.D. in mathematics. She became a professor at Vassar College before joining the Navy. 

Carl Wieman

   Carl Wieman is a Nobel Prize winner who spent a few years at Yale University as a postdoctoral researcher in the physics department. During his days as a postdoctoral researcher, Carl Wieman worked on the development of laser cooling and trapping techniques. 

 This later earned him the Nobel Prize in 2001. Other than the Nobel Prize, Carl Wieman is one of the few Yale University alumni to receive a Presidential Award. Presently, he works as Professor of Physics at Stafford University and is well-known for his “peer-instruction” teaching method. 

Bill Clinton

  Bill Clinton attended Yale University from 1970 to 1973. During this time, he was extremely involved in politics and was later elected president of the Yale Law Democrats organization. 

  During the same period, he worked as an intern for U.S. Senator J. William Fullbright and also assisted in George McGovern’s presidential campaign in 1972. Before becoming the 42nd President of the United States of America, Bill Clinton served as the governor of Arkansas for a full 12 years. 

Indra Nooyi

  Indira Nooyi, former CEO of PepsiCo, earned her Master’s degree in Public and Private Management from Yale University in 1980.

  During her time at Yale, Indira Nooyi was elected president of the student council. Aside from this, she was also actively involved in the international club and programs for non-profit organizations. 

  Indira Nooyi is also one of the few Yale University Indian alumni who graduated as a Searle Scholar. Which is an honor given to the five best students in each graduating class. 

Ben Silbermann

 Ben Silbermann, who graduated from Yale University in 2013, is a Yale University famous alumni who is the co-founder and CEO of Pinterest.

  He earned a bachelor’s degree in Political science while at Yale. During his time at Yale University, he was a member of the Sigma Nu fraternity and was in charge of organizing activities and events. 

  These extracurricular activities essentially sparked his passion for technology and entrepreneurship, which led him to Pinterest. 

Meryl Streep

    Meryl Streep needs no introduction, as she is yet another Yale University notable alumni with a massive number of achievements. Meryl graduated from Yale University in 1975 with a Master’s in Fine Arts. 

    During her time at Yale, Meryl Streep had already made a name for herself and was awarded Yale University’s prestigious Carolyn See Award. 

   After her graduation, Meryl Streep went on to make a name for herself in Hollywood, and until now, she has won 3 Oscars. It should also be noted that she also holds a record number of Oscar nominations. 

Hillary Clinton

  Hillary Rodham Clinton is a well-known lawyer and American politician who nearly became the first female President of the United States of America. Before  running as a presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton served as the U.S. Senator from New York for nine years.

  She’s also a Yale University famous alumni who has served in the presidential office as the first lady and chief advisor to the 42nd President of the U.S.A. She studied at Yale Law School from 1969 to 1973 and graduated with a Juris Doctor degree. Much like Bill Clinton, she’s still connected with Yale University. 

Jonathan Majors

   Yale has a reputation for producing fantastic performers and filmmakers. So it’s not particularly surprising that Yale was the first university when Jonathan Majors searched for “The best drama schools for grown-ups.”

  Jonathan Majors graduated from Yale University in 2016 with a Masters in Fine Arts. Since his graduation, Jonathan Majors has steadily risen to fame and has already worked with a few notable Hollywood names, such as Christian Bale and Michael B. Jordan. Soon we’ll see him in Marvel’s Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. 

Key takeaways

• Yale University is a rival to Harvard University but is considered a happier place to be than Harvard.
• Yale University has a rich history and has raised many Presidents, Nobel Prize winners, Pulitzer Prize winners, etc. 
• Yale University has a strong alumni network that guides the younger generation and builds a sense of community that goes beyond campus grounds. 

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FAQs

Q1: How many alumni does Yale University have?

Ans: As per the Yale University alumni records and Yale magazine, the university has over 130,000 (living) alumni.

Q2: What are the special benefits Yale alumni receive from the university?

Ans: As per the Yale University Alumni Directory, alumni benefits include educational travel opportunities, lifelong library access, a Yale Alumni Mastercard, etc. 

Q3: How many Indians study at Yale University? 

Ans: Indians are the third-largest group of foreign students at Yale University. The exact number of Indian students at Yale is 225, out of which 175 are in graduate programs and 50 are in undergraduate programs.